Cleaning wand



L. A. NOYES CLEANING WAND Filed Sept. 30, 1964 Dec. 7, 1965 W b m0 m M W 0 M 9m f w 0 w, 5 Z 4 I 0 s F m 2 M W 3 B 0 /Fl 8 I M H E I v V w k 3 r/ |I||| illilKllIl United States Patent Ofiice 4 3,221,354 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 3,221,354 CLEANING WAND Lois A. Noyes, 7831 Paso Robles, Van Nuys, Calif. Filed Sept. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 400,352 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-118) The invention relates generally to cleaning articles, and more particularly concerns a novel implement in the form of a wand especially adapted for quickly picking up dust and dirt in normally inaccessible areas, as well as on fully accessible surfaces.

It is a common experience in the home that heavy furniture and appliances must be periodically moved in order that dust and dirt may be cleaned from surfaces normally inaccessible while the heavy equipment is in place. This problem is one to which the present invention offers a novel and unusual solution.

Basically, the invention is directed to the provision of a cleaning wand comprising an elongate, relatively stiff and narrow carrier body, an elongate and narrow width sheath into which said body is received, and an elongate and relatively narrow width cleaning strip of foam plastic material carried by the sheath to extend at and along a side thereof openly facing away from the body for picking up dust when the strip is displaced with sweeping motion over and adjacent to a relatively inaccessible surface to be cleaned.

More specifically, the sheath is closed at one end of the elongate body and open at its opposite end to allow removal and use of the body, as for example in measuring; the sheath material typically project beyond the body opposite end and has means for engaging a support by which the sheath may be suspended vertically; and the sheath typically consists of flexible sheet plastic material such as vinyl and loosely receiving the elongate body.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of illustrative embodiments, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation showing one cleaning wand embodying the invention, with the cleaning strip exposed;

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1, but showing the reverse side of the wand; and,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged sections taken on lines 33 and 4-4 of FIG. 2.

In the drawings, an elongate, relatively stiif and narrow carrier body is seen at 10, and may take the form of a wooden yard stick. It is receivable into an elongate and narrow width sheath 11, one end 12 of which is closed and the opposite end 13 of which is open. The sheath is flexible and typically comprises two strips 14 of vinyl plastic material which are heat sealed at the interface region 15 running along the two long edges of the sheath and across the closed end thereof, all in such manner that the body is loosely received in the sheath, while maintaining the strips 14 flat against the opposite sides 16 of the body 10. In this regard, the overall width of the sheath is typically in the range 1 /2 to 2 inches and its length is in the range 36-38 inches, in order that all the functions and advantages of the combination may be realized. It will also be observed that the sheath material projects at 17 beyond the terminal 18 of the carrier body 10, and has means, as for example a perforation 19 through the projection 17, for engaging a support such as a hook or nail, by which the sheath may be suspended vertically as in a broom closet.

The combination also includes an elongate and relatively narrow width cleaning strip 20, of foam plastic material, carried by the sheath 11 to extend at and along a side thereof openly facing away from body 10. Strip 20 is characterized in its position and construction for picking up dust when the strip is displaced by the body 10 and sheath 11 with sweeping motion over and adjacent to a relatively inaccessible surface to be cleaned. Thus, for example, the wand 21 may be grasped at either end and then inserted, opposite end first, into a small clearance between the bottom of a refrigerator and the floor; the wand may then be displaced with strip 20 engaging the floor surface to sweep up the accumulated dust which clings to the dry strip 20, and may easily be cleaned therefrom by a vacuum, whisking or washing. Other uses include cleaning under, over, behind or between various heavy appliances and furniture items, which are difiicult to move.

Strip 20 typically covers one entire side of the sheath, and may be bonded thereto. Further, it typically may comprise a soft dry foam plastic product such as a polyester material.

I claim:

1. A cleaning wand, comprising an elongate relatively stiff and narrow carrier body, an elongate and narrow width sheath into which said body is received, and an elon gate and relatively narrow width cleaning strip of soft foam plastic material carried by said sheath to extend at and along a side thereof openly facing away from the body for picking up dust when said strip is displaced by the body and sheath with sweeping motion over and adjacent to a relatively inaccessible surface to be cleaned, the sheath consisting of flexible sheet plastic material loosely receiving said elongate body, the sheath having an open end through which said body is readily removable from the sheath, the sheath having overall thickness substantially less than its width, the sheath length being in the range of about 36 to 38 inches and the sheath width being in the range of about 1 /2 to 2 inches, and the body comprising a yard stick.

2. A wand as defined in claim 1 in which said sheath is closed at one end of the elongate body and open at the opposite end thereof, the sheath carrying material projecting beyond said body opposite end and having means at said projection for engaging a support by which the sheath may be suspended vertically.

3. A wand as defined in claim 1 .in which said foam plastic material has a width along the sheath that is substantially coextensive with the sheath width.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,387,599 8/1921 Grout.

2,042,546 6/ 1936 Meier 15228 X 2,062,065 11/1936 Miley 15229.1 X 2,871,497 2/ 1959 Miller et al 15244 3,051,304 8/ 1962 Dolgorukov 206-4533 3,077,627 2/ 1963 Ashworth 15228 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,037,671 8/ 1958 Germany.

5 DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLEANING WAND, COMPRISING AN ELONGATE RELATIVELY STIFF AND NARROW CARRIER BODY, AN ELONGATE AND NARROW WIDTH SHEATH INTO WHICH SAID BODY IS RECEIVED, AND AN ELONGATE AND RELATIVELY NARROW WIDTH CLEANING STRIP OF SOFT FOAM PLASTIC MATERIAL CARRIED BY SAID SHEATH TO EXTEND AT AND ALONG A SIDE THEREOF OPENLY FACING AWAY FROM THE BODY FOR PICKING UP DUST WHEN SAID STRIP IS DISPLACED BY THE BODY AND SHEATH WITH SWEEPING MOTION OVER AND ADJACENT TO A RELATIVELY INACESSIBLE SURFACE TO BE CLEANED, THE SHEATH CONSISTING OF FLEXIBLE SHEET PLASTIC MATERIAL LOOSELY RECEIVING SAID ELONGATE BODY, THE SHEATH HAVING AN OPEN END THROUGH WHICH SAID BODY IS READILY REMOVABLE FROM THE SHEATH, THE SHEATH HAVING OVERALL THICKNESS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN ITS WIDTH, THE SHEATH LENGTH BEING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 36 TO 38 INCHES AND THE SHEATH WIDTH BEING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 1/2 TO 2 INCHES, AND THE BODY COMPRISING A YARD STICK. 